The Obligation to be Moral

Abstract

In ethical discourse, the question “why be moral?” can be discerned on two levels. On the first level, the question being asked is why an agent should choose to act morally rather than immorally. On the second level, the question being asked is why an agent should act morally rather than amorally. The focus of this paper is on the second level of the question. The paper argues that when this question arises on this level, what the agent requires is a rational justification of the moral enterprise, not a moral enterprise. The paper argues further that the condition that will provide such a justification is the condition of self interest. As such, the paper argues that the rational justification that will justify an agent’s choice to act morally is that such a choice ensures the satisfaction of his/her enlightened self interest